June 19 - Oranmore Village

For a long time, I've intended to show you our village so you can picture our home-away-from-home. I took this picture of the old church which was restored and is now the library back a couple months ago when the trees were in bloom. On Fridays, we go to story time at noon (here it's called "midday") and the boys check out a couple library books each week. I hope to keep this up when we're back at "our Minnesota home" as the boys call it.

So, here is a glimpse of Oranmore Village, a few miles southeast of Galway City center. I started at the turn onto the coast road which is about a mile before coming into the village.

Take a right...


...onto Oranmore Coast Road.

All the calves are resting.

Freshly-cut hay and a thatch-roof cottage.

Now the road turns and opens up to Galway Bay.

The boys get excited to see the hay bales.

I rather like them myself.

I drew red boxes around Oranmore Castle (left) and our house (right).

Seems it's rest time for everyone.

I admire the gardens.

Oranmore Castle

OranTown Centre: grocery store, doctors' office, post office, pharmacy, newsstand, thriftstore, dress shop, coffee shop, salon, sports store, cafe.

A little sculpture park a few feet from the bus stop...

...these horses are just to the left of the picture above.

Bridge across the stream that empties into the Bay.

This is the innermost part of Galway Bay.

The construction site on the left will be a new mall. Two donkeys are usually in the field on the right.

These swans are always here.

Entering the heart of the village...where the sidewalks double as parking spaces.

The shop with the red sign is one of the betting shops in the village.

The shop with the black sign is the other betting shop.

The boys love Supermac's - a rare treat. It's an Irish fastfood chain.

The library.

It's not unusual to see a tractor in the village or passing through.

Each time we see one, the boys exclaim, "I SEE A TRACTOR!!!"

The playfield.

The national school, playground, and farmers' market are behind the field.

I sometimes see the elderly owner tending her roses.

Oranmore Catholic Church. I think the bells peal military time. I don't know how many times a day, but this evening we were at the park and heard them at 6:00pm - 18hundred hours.

At the fork in the road, take a right...

...onto Maree Road.

Oranmore Boys National School

(national = elementary)

Ard Mhara Bed and Breakfast

Claddagh Moon Bed and Breakfast

Turn right into Bluebell Woods Estate

(estate = development)

Spar (the corner grocery store) and creche.
(creche = daycare center)

The creche, "Bluebells & Buttercups" got a make-over this spring.

Into the estate. The young kids, especially the boys, play ball in the big green area up and to the left. Their games usually overflow into the street.

I had done the last part of the 'tour' on foot, and this is where I found the gang. They had bought ice cream treats from Spar and were contentedly waiting for me.

A few days later, Silas said to me, "Mommy, you take stupid pictures."

"What?", I asked.

"You take stupid pictures outside," he said again.

"Why do you say that?", I questioned.

"Daddy said you take stupid pictures."

I told Daniel what Silas had said. He confessed that while I was taking these pictures, he was telling the boys his honest opinions. I hope some of you enjoy my stupid pictures.